S.MAHATHI AT INFOSYS HALL ON 5 JAN

[CRama]

A four hour concert of the above vidushi was organised by Mudhra on the concluding day of their Music Festival. The concert started at 5 PM and went on past 9 PM. She was accompanied by Raghavendra Rao on the violin, Ganapathiraman on the Mridangam and Anirudh Athreya on the Ganjira. I did not take any note, as initially, I did not intend to write any review. But after hearing the concert, I felt that I should write about this stellar concert, by a vidushi whom many of our members have not noticed so far. Hence I have written from my memory. Even I have not heard her concert before this- simply thought that she is film music singer. But my impression changed after hearing this concert.

Song list.
Varnam- Kalyani- Ata thalam
Vathapi-Hamsadhwani
Endaromahanubhavulu-Sree
Koteeswara Iyer kriti- Gayakapriya
Anandavalli-Neelambari-ST
Manaveeche Konavayya-Sarasangi-Patnam
Nenarunchinanu-Malavi
Amba Kamakshi-Bhairavi swarajathi-Syama Sastri
RTP-Hamsanandi- Misra Triputa 2 kalai- Eduppu after 18 aksharams
Pallavi- Sarva dharma swaroopini Hey Kali Ramakrishna Parama Hamsanandi
(I left after the thani)

For Vathapi, quick swaras were rendered in an unusual place- Hamsadhwani bhooshitha herambam. The concert had four alapanas - all elaborate- Gayakapriya ( 10 minutes), Sarasangi (15 minutes), Bhairavi (20 minutes) and Hamsanandi (25 minutes including thanam). The alapana of Sarasangi came up very clearly and did not have any confusion with her sister Charukesi. Elaborate swaras were rendered for the kritis in Gayakapriya, Sarasangi, Bhairavi and of course RTP. There was neraval for two kritis- Sarasangi and Bhairavi. For the swarajathi, customary neraval in Syamakrishna sahodari and swaras in three places - Syamakrishna, Bhairavi and Kamakshi were rendered. The ragamalika swaras in RTP were in Madhuvanthi, Valaji, Maru behag and Revathi. While delineating Hamsanandi, sruti bhedam to Hindolam was nicely presented.

Mahathi is blessed with a voice which is full of verve, that has a real magical pitch and a very high shruthi adherance with the right quotient of nidanam and azhutham . I understand that she had training in carnatic music from stalwarts like Dr.Balamuralikrishna, TNS and OST. I personally think her as a really capable musician in the female list whom we must hear without sidelining her as a cine playback singer. All the alapanas in the concert were very intense with the right proportion of jarus, brighas and I liked them immensely. The cascading swara patterns with a few crescendos she presented in the various kritis kept the audience hooked and they showed their appreciation most liberally. One has to appreciate despite her being a busy play back singer she is able to pull with a lot of quality carnatic music which speaks of her passion for carnatic music, learning and intense sadhakam that has gone behind her musical pursuits. The sizeable audience in Infosys Hall sat mesmerized for four hours. The best of best in the concert was indeed the Pallavi in which the alapana had TNS flavour throughout with all the technical ingredients like Trikalam for a acholarly RTP in tact. The sahithyam of the pallavi was most intelligently coined to suit the venue. A well laid out kalpanaswara with a befitting korvai in all the ragas was topnotch.

Mudhra needs to be complimented for organising a four hour concert every year which gives the artistes ample freedom to showcase their imagination without the need to look at the watch every now and then. This also proves that if the music is intense, rasikas will be ready to sit for four hours or even more. Mahathi utilised the opportunity very skillfully with the right planning and she was able to carry on the slot with aplomb with her unfailing energy which was reciprocated by the audience as well. There was never a dull moment in the four hour concert. Mudhra will be webcasting the concert. Stay tuned.

The accompanists played their role competently. The thani was quite engaging.

Folks, whenever you come across a concert of Mahathi, do give your time and ears for the concert. You will enjoy.









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[rajeshnat]

Crama
Thank you for your review . I have heard her once some time in sangeetham days. I am glad you attended the only 4 hr concert of the season(kalarasana has also stopped it) .If others or may be radha bhaskar can herself complete the list it would be wonderful. With the list one can see her illustrious guru TNS all the way.I also did not know that she is also trained by OST .Best wishes to Mahathi

[radha bhaskar]

Dear Rama Sir,
I was very happy to see you in quite a few concerts of mudhra and even happier that you are back into writing and sharing your views. Yes, Mahathi indeed proved her worth and after the RTP, she winded off with just chinnanjirukiliye and a tillana in Mand. After the concert, she specifically mentioned to me that since she wanted to make her concert a truly classical stuff, she did not want to devote much time for tukkadsas. Also, one could see that she is slowly evolving her own distinct style by absorbing the best elements from various sources. Her energy level is amazing and after she finished the mangalam, she winded off with a beautiful vritham and I felt she was all set to start yet another 4 hour concert! There was a lot of intelligence in structuring the concert but with an undercurrent of fine aesthetics and that made it appealing both to the brain and the heart !

[rsrini080463]

Dear Madam and Rama Sir

I thoroughly enjoyed her performance yesterday. Here energy level is very high. As you rightly mentioned, it is too difficult to maintain Sarasangi without the tones of Charukesi. The superlative was the Hamsanandhi RTP. I am just not sure about the first Ragamalika raaga - I thought it was sumanesaranjani. You may kindly clarify.

Also as Madam Radha mentioned, this still being the first week of the new year, she wanted to close the concert with a Thiruppalliyezhuchi (on Lord Siva) in the most appropriate Bhoopalam to close the concert. Very lateral thinking and I have not come across anyone singing after 'Bhavamaana'.

Thanks for your reviews.

Regards

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Thanks CRama for th review of the extraordnary concert of th season whch many like me hav missd. And Mudhra for its eye on aesthetics!

[harimau]

Is it K. Mahathi or S. Mahathi?

K. Mahathi is listed in the Chennai Music Season Reckoner as one who plays the keyboard. She also didn't perform for Mudhra.

S. Mahathi is a vocalist and performed for Mudhra on Jan 5, 2014.

By the way, Harikesanallur Venkataraman, the music critic, rated her as one of the 5 best female vocalists he heard this season.

[CRama]

I might have given the initials wrong. This is the vocalist and not keyboard player. The assessment of Harikesanallur Venkataraman is hundred percent correct. We should hear her more.

[rajeshnat]

Is it K. Mahathi or S. Mahathi?

K. Mahathi is listed in the Chennai Music Season Reckoner as one who plays the keyboard. She also didn't perform for Mudhra.

S. Mahathi is a vocalist and performed for Mudhra on Jan 5, 2014.

Who else can correct if there is keyboard error other than harimau?

Mods
Please change the title to S. Mahathi .
(Mod note: Done! )

[rajeshnat]

By the way, Harikesanallur Venkataraman, the music critic, rated her as one of the 5 best female vocalists he heard this season.

Harimau,
Jut curious there.May we get the exhaustive list of the other 4 female artist and also if there is 5 best male vocalists?